


eternity is the wait between breaths

by openended



Series: Olivia Shepard [9]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-01-03 14:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1071790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/openended/pseuds/openended
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The night before the Omega 4 relay, Shepard has a phone call to make.</p>
            </blockquote>





	eternity is the wait between breaths

Garrus wakes up alone; this isn’t new, but waking up alone in Shepard’s quarters is. The light’s on low by her desk and he nearly sits up, ready to convince her to come back to bed, that they’re on their way to the relay and can’t possibly plan any more.

But he hears whispering and then, “ _Come back alive, kid_.” There’s static on the comm, but the words come across loud and clear. So does the fear.

He knows that voice, and now knows why he woke up alone, and tries to stay very still. He’s supposed to be asleep, not witnessing Shepard talk to her mother for what may be the last time (and from the sound of Hannah’s voice, she knows this might be a one-way trip).

Shepard takes a shaky breath. The response to is supposed to be _I always do_.

But that’s not true anymore, and he doubts she’ll make the same promise. She knows what Hannah went through after Alchera, wouldn’t dream of making a promise like that she couldn’t keep again.

She’s a silhouette at this angle, but Garrus watches as she draws herself up; straightened shoulders, raised chin, slight side tilt to her head.

"I’m not interested in dying again, Mom. I promise," she says with an audible grin.

" _Good_."

Certain that Shepard’s aware he’s awake now, he focuses on the quiet burbling of the fish tank and lets them have their goodbyes in private.

When Shepard returns to bed a moment later, curling into his side as he lifts up the covers for her, he feels a determination in her shoulders that wasn’t there when they fell asleep. Whatever the conversation with her mother held before he woke up, it changed her mind about their odds.

This is no longer a suicide run. It’s not even halfway to dangerous. She _will_ get them all out alive.


End file.
